The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-03
A CHAT WITH GEN. PLEAS
ONION.

An Interesting "Reminiscences OF the Rebellion
Washington Corr Boston Traveller.
Gen. Alfred Pleasonton was in
communicative mood. He sat in q
reading-room at Willard'sand began
to draw stories from the vast store
house OF his experience.
The general told the following inter
esting "Reminiscences OF the late rebel
lion. He said: "In December, 1862,
while the army OF the Potomac was
encampeR on the Ranpahannock with
Burnside in command, an incident oc-
Cured that | shall never forget. A
New York man who was very friendly
with Burnside obtained permission to
open q suffers store near the banks oil
the river. He did u thriving business as
he was literally patronized by tlf
troops.
One day mulatto came into caml
and wanted to see me. He gave me
exceedingly valuable information
about the confederate force and the
plans, as these had been discussed
in Jackson's tent in his presence. So
valuable, indeed, was this information
that it led to a complete changein the
plan OF our campaign. One day he
came to me and said: 'Massa Pleason.
ton, what you call dat suffers store
down dare? told him that it was
place where the soldiers bought goods
rom trader. Herolled up the whites
of his eyes and replied: i know dat.
10 lari or ~ Iph
huff, but not downstairs;
no sahl' | questioned him
further, and he told me that under
the store was cellar filled with guns,
ammunition, boots and shoes. blank
cts and all kinds of stores, which were
being shipped each night across the
river by the confederates. | was as
tonlshed, but knew he was truthful
and could be relied upon. Then he
went on to say; AN Masaa Pleason-
ton, dere is a Teller IN de celler, way
over in de corner, wild q little ticker
| went up to the headquarters and
told Burnside what | had learned,
He was not. inclined to believe me at
first, but after time I convinced him
that his New York friend, the sutler,
was playing into the hands OF the en-
envy. Then he wanted to send
a detail right down and seize the
whole concern but told him that he
would surely botch the whole job.
Finally persuaded him to leave the
affair entirely in my hands. had
three men report to me whom |
knew | could trust. gave them $40,
and told them to go to the barroom
and spend it in champagne. | also
gave them instructions to sip and sip
their wine until taps, when they were
to cover the three barkeepers with
their revolvers and to compel them to
throw up their hands, and | would
be on hand with my men.
The evening came, and when taps
were struck the three barkeepers were
astonished at seeing three ugly-look-
ing revolvers presented at their heads,
coupled with an invitation to hold up
their hands. 1t is perhaps needless
to add that the hands went up in
hurry. walked in with my detail,
and went behind the bar. Finding
trap.door there just as Jackson
told me, pulled it up and
went down stairs. The cellar
was a deep one very large, it was
stocked with all kinds OF
goods intended to be struggled into the
confederate lines. In one corner Isaw
aman busily engaged telegraphing from
a newspaper which he held in his left
hand. Walking over to him, put n
revolver to his head and asked what
he was doing. seeing that the Jig was
up, be told me he was telegraphing an
account of the battle oil Stone river to
the confederate headquarters. called
an aid, who was % practical telegraph
operator, and then / ordered the
Isisoner to send as / directed. |
dictated to him dispatch giving an
account of the defeat of the confeder-
ates and the killing OF about every
prominent rebel officer that | could
remember as having taken part in that
engagement. Pretty soon the reply
came ticking back ever the wire. The
confederates had dropped to the situ-
alton, for the message ran: Go to,
you Yankee son ola. We are on you
That ended my telegraphic communi'
cation with the enemy"